Tuesday, December 04, 2012

I'm going to say something controversial. John Tamihere isn't this dumb. It seems John wants to eat his cake and speak with a mouthful while spitting bits of frosting all over everyone.

Why would he generate all this attention in gaining back his Labour Party membership? Turning up at the conference only to be turned away, calling Paula Bennett fat, referring to a female reporter as a 'silly girl', doesn't any of this strike you as political branding rather than dickheadedness?

Maybe I'm being far too generous to Tamihere, but there is a case to argue for Tamihere standing in Waitakere.

Let's just for a moment put aside the jaw droopingly stupid sexist and homophobic locker room chatter with Wishart for a second, and look at how National will attack Labour in 2014.

Tamihere as a candidate inoculates Labour from the social engineering tag that Labour have been so spooked by since the 2008 loss. Bennett would have little chance against Tamihere and he re-blokes the Labour Party enough to appeal to a voter base who have left Labour for political fence sitting.

The problems with Tamihere standing are however numerous. His comments now and then are deeply offensive to many factions of Labour and it would be a slap in the face to Carmel Sepuloni who has become one of the Party's shining new hopes if Tamihere was parachuted in.

Carmel would have to be rewarded with a top list ranking if Tamihere ran in Waitakere.

What Tamihere needs to do know is start articulating some big ideas that cut past his sexism and talks about inclusion.

That is if he is serious about being a member for Labour.

What of another option? What if Tamihere attempts to run as a candidate in Waitakere for Labour and he gets turned down on the grounds that he's too bloke and Tamihere runs as an independent? Such a twist would gain voters from Bennett and Sepuloni.

It may be better for Mr Tamihere to be inside the Labour tent than outside it.